title: Self-efficacy partially mediates between social support and health-related quality of life in family caregivers for dementia patients in Shanghai.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a paucity of research assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-efficacy in caregivers of relatives with dementia in mainland China.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the level of HRQoL between caregivers and the general population in mainland China and to assess the role of caregiver self-efficacy in the relationship between caregiver social support and HRQoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shanghai, China. The caregivers were recruited from the outpatient department of a teaching hospital. A total of 195 participants were interviewed, using a survey package including the Chinese version of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), demographic data, the variables associated with the impairments of care recipients, perceived social support and caregiver self-efficacy. The caregivers' SF-36 scores were compared with those of the general population in China.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that the HRQoL of the caregivers was poorer compared with that of the general population when matched for age and gender. Multiple regression analyses revealed that caregiver self-efficacy is a partial mediator between social support and HRQoL, and a partial mediator between behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and caregiver mental health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assisting with managing BPSD and enhancing caregiver self-efficacy can be considered integral parts of interventions to improve caregiver HRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shuying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Patsy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yates
authors.forename: Chunbo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qihao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017008:Negotiating; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult